Ingredients:

• 250g butter
  
• 250g Rapadura sugar (or brown sugar)
  
• 6 eggs
  
• 250g Organic wholemeal flour
  
• 1 tsp bi-carb soda
  
• 1 cup fine wholemeal breadcrumbs (grate a loaf if possible)
  
• 2tsp Mixed spice
• 1tsp Organic ground Nutmeg
  
• Grated rind of ½ lemon and ½ orange
  
• 1kg Good Pud Christmas fruit mix  (or you can use 250g each of organic sultanas, organic currants, organic raisins & 200g diced dates & organic cranberries)
  
• 1 cup of rum
  
• Rum or brandy to serve  

Method:

1. Soak dried fruit for at least 6 hours or overnight in 250ml (1 cup) of brandy. 
2. Brush a 2L (8 cup) capacity pudding basin with melted butter to grease. Line the base with non-stick baking paper. 
   
3. With an electric beater, cream butter and sugar in a bowl until pale & creamy. 
   
4. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. 
   
5. Mix in rinds, breadcrumbs, flour, spices, bi-carb soda & the dried fruit mixture. Stir well after each addition until  all combined. 
   
6. Spoon mixture into basin & cover with baking paper & foil.*(See notes below)
   
7. Place an unturned saucer into the bottom of your saucepan. Fill one-third of a saucepan with boiling water & bring to a simmer over low heat. Lower the pudding basin into the saucepan. Add enough boiling water to reach two-thirds of the way up the basin. Simmer, covered over low-medium heat for 4 hours. Add more boiling water if necessary. 
   
8. Remove basin from pan & set aside for 5 mins

Notes and tips:

You can make this recipe up to 2 months ahead. Cover the pudding basin with cling wrap and foil and store in the refrigerator.
*The baking paper & aluminium foil that sits on the top needs to be about 5cm wider than the top of the bowl. Secure it tightly with string to keep the moisture inside whilst cooking. It is important that it is not too long & sits in the water. If you have made it a little big, either trim it or roll it up slightly. It is important no water gets inside the mixture whilst cooking.

Christmas day

Reheat pudding as in step 7 for one hour over medium heat or until pudding is heated through. To serve you can pour brandy or rum over pudding & light with a match. It is also delicious with custard, cream or ice-cream.